Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 93 Throughout the Great War (WWI) there were several strategic operations that provided aid to allies, denied enemy access to large geographical areas and resources, and/or protected vital supply lines and logistic bases. Some of those ‘flank’ operations were large, such as the long and costly East African campaign which tied up at least 300,000 Allied, British, and Commonwealth troops from 3 August 1914 to 25 November 1918. The South West Africa campaign lasted 9 months; while others were of short duration in places like Samoa (2 days), New Guinea (6 weeks), and Togo (20 Days). Many of those vital flank operations continue to be mere footnotes in the history of the Great War. The story of the Canadian gunners of the St Lucia Battery, in the British West Indies, is one such footnote. Many of the St Lucia gunners were from Nova Scotia. On 13 January 1915 the British War office had the Secretary of State for the Colonies telegram Ottawa requesting that Canada provide a heavy artillery battery for service in St Lucia. This unit was required to protect the vital coaling station at Port Castries in support of Allied Sea power in the region. The official Canadian army history of the unit is noted below. “Report #87 Historical Section (GS) Army Headquarters 20 October 1959 // “Canadian Forces in Bermuda and St Lucia 1914-1919” // paragraphs 9-13 prepared by Captain JA Sweetenham, Royal Canadian Engineers. In the Windward Islands, No. 6 Company of the Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery, totaling 123 all ranks, disembarked at Port Castries, St Lucia, in April 1915 and served there until May 1919. The Canadians did not relieve a British garrison, but took over, as a war measure, two forts on either side of the harbour entrance to Port Castries which had not been occupied since 1907. During those eight years an almost impregnable forest of tropical trees and vines had sprung up, so that extensive clearing was necessary before the positions could again be occupied. Malaria was prevalent at first, but by 1918 the clearing of brush, the construction of drains, the oiling of swamps had brought the disease under control. At the outbreak of war there were no guns on the island. Four French 14-centimeter pieces were borrowed from Martinique. These had been mounted by French troops before the unit's arrival. In addition to these, the Canadians mounted two British 6-inch guns from Bermuda between April and July 1915. No further additions were made. Until the end of the war the main task was to man those guns. The Saint Lucia Battery No. 6 Company, Royal Canadian Garrison Artillery Story by Gary Silliker Flag of St. Lucia continued ...
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